I AM A COMPUTER - WOW LOOK AN OBLONG
April 1, 2015 8:54 AM Subscribe
The Puppets return for a lesson in computers and being a clever smart boy in DON'T HUG ME I'M SCARED 4.
This one left me deeply unsettled. It was picking away at themes I've only witnessed in some of my more disjointed nightmares, especially the last minute. Anyone have any theories on the structure and meaning?
posted by Theta States at 9:20 AM on April 1, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Theta States at 9:20 AM on April 1, 2015 [1 favorite]
Mod note: Substantial criticism is totally fine, but while it's totally okay to feel meh about something, one word "meh" as the first comment in a thread is not really good commenting.
posted by cortex (staff) at 9:23 AM on April 1, 2015 [7 favorites]
posted by cortex (staff) at 9:23 AM on April 1, 2015 [7 favorites]
digital style!
posted by EndsOfInvention at 9:30 AM on April 1, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by EndsOfInvention at 9:30 AM on April 1, 2015 [1 favorite]
This is giving me flashbacks to mid-'80s Ontario public television educational programming.
And also the cold sweats, for some reason.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 9:45 AM on April 1, 2015
And also the cold sweats, for some reason.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 9:45 AM on April 1, 2015
Much more disturbing than I initially expected. N̥̹͎̠͈̹̠̔̈͐̓ͅe̶̡̘͖͓̣̻͙̝̮̽̎̑͊̑͐ͯa̸̗̘̥̻̫̣̝̟ͣ̔̐͒̀ͅt͕͓ͥ͒͒ͤ̕͟͠!̧͈͓͖̦͚̩̻̠̔͒ͦ́ͬ̽̇
posted by benito.strauss at 9:49 AM on April 1, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by benito.strauss at 9:49 AM on April 1, 2015 [1 favorite]
So this was "Too Many Cooks" before "Too Many Cooks" was a thing.
The internet did not just start being weird six months ago.
posted by anazgnos at 9:50 AM on April 1, 2015 [11 favorites]
The internet did not just start being weird six months ago.
posted by anazgnos at 9:50 AM on April 1, 2015 [11 favorites]
The internet did not just start being weird six months ago.
In other news, I just invented sex.
posted by johnnydummkopf at 9:58 AM on April 1, 2015 [4 favorites]
In other news, I just invented sex.
posted by johnnydummkopf at 9:58 AM on April 1, 2015 [4 favorites]
These are so perfect. In this one, especially, it seems as if the stop-motion sequences are all done by hand with felt. That is a lot of work, and it is not merely a parody of kids' puppet shows.
My favorite is still the one about love.
posted by Countess Elena at 10:07 AM on April 1, 2015
My favorite is still the one about love.
posted by Countess Elena at 10:07 AM on April 1, 2015
My dad is a computer.
posted by anazgnos at 10:42 AM on April 1, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by anazgnos at 10:42 AM on April 1, 2015 [1 favorite]
Now let's all agree to never be creative again.
posted by charlie don't surf at 10:53 AM on April 1, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by charlie don't surf at 10:53 AM on April 1, 2015 [2 favorites]
My dad is a computer.
You are not invited to the party.
posted by grumpybear69 at 11:08 AM on April 1, 2015
You are not invited to the party.
posted by grumpybear69 at 11:08 AM on April 1, 2015
TheWhiteSkull: "This is giving me flashbacks to mid-'80s Ontario public television educational programming."
There was a show produced in Wisconsin for Public TV called "Let Me See" and I think I've mentioned it on ask before... But that bird here, not the voice, but the puppet itself, for some reason reminds me of that bird... "CAW MYRTLE... CAW!" (and it was an awesome science show, but not nearly as drug addled (and thus awesome) as this).
I got a bit of a Phil K Dicksame Street. I love this kind of thing, and Wonder Showzen. So fun and weird. Also - computers!
posted by symbioid at 11:09 AM on April 1, 2015
There was a show produced in Wisconsin for Public TV called "Let Me See" and I think I've mentioned it on ask before... But that bird here, not the voice, but the puppet itself, for some reason reminds me of that bird... "CAW MYRTLE... CAW!" (and it was an awesome science show, but not nearly as drug addled (and thus awesome) as this).
I got a bit of a Phil K Dicksame Street. I love this kind of thing, and Wonder Showzen. So fun and weird. Also - computers!
posted by symbioid at 11:09 AM on April 1, 2015
I was thinking more along the lines of Readalong.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 11:38 AM on April 1, 2015
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 11:38 AM on April 1, 2015
> theories on the structure and meaning
posted by ostranenie at 1:52 PM on April 1, 2015 [5 favorites]
- People go online with the best intentions to look up interesting and/or useful information, but can end up spending way more time than they intended (the "late night in the kitchen" scene--see also: Marge Simpson playing Earthland Realms) on the time-wasting virtual world and social media, cultivating their online personalities ("digital style!") and neglecting their real flesh-and-blood lives and alienating their families
- The "real you" versus the "virtual you" and questioning which is "more real" - People embellish their identity online, sometimes to the point of absurdity, sometimes for the purposes of conning/scamming, catfishing, etc.,
- The mo-cap suit / "you're not invited to the party" / breaking the third wall with the faux "behind the scenes" stuff - Red Guy doesn't want to be left out--he wants to be included in the online "party"--but is very bored (eye-rollingly so) and disillusioned with its superficial nature, versus the Green and Blue guys who are enraptured by its immediate gratification and boundless fantasy. He can't figure it out, he doesn't see the point of it, and it just stresses him out more. I totally get that. When someone gets excited about this or that Tweet or some new thing on Pinstagramblerest, I can't (or refuse to, because MY LAWN and GET OFF OF IT) understand it
- The computer's "brain" - People think of the computer as their "friend," when it's really just a bunch of electronics. Also I think they just wanted an excuse to stick a pig heart or whatever that is in there.
posted by ostranenie at 1:52 PM on April 1, 2015 [5 favorites]
The "real world" is willing to teach, but is too slow compared to the aggressive distraction of the internet. The internet promises "everything" but in practice only delivers about three things.
posted by anazgnos at 12:15 AM on April 2, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by anazgnos at 12:15 AM on April 2, 2015 [2 favorites]
The "flashing in/flashing out" of Blue Guy and Green Guy toward the end - maybe a take on Facebook statuses and tweets and how they compare to actual interaction?
posted by ostranenie at 5:05 AM on April 2, 2015
posted by ostranenie at 5:05 AM on April 2, 2015
Digital style!
posted by The Whelk at 7:08 AM on April 2, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by The Whelk at 7:08 AM on April 2, 2015 [2 favorites]
I'm always kind of disappointed these followups never manage or even seem to be attempting to go for the same sense of startling, deeply unsettling dread as the first one. But I suppose it's for the best they don't try to recapture the exact tone, it would probably just lead to diminishing returns of another sort.
posted by Wandering Idiot at 12:28 PM on April 2, 2015
posted by Wandering Idiot at 12:28 PM on April 2, 2015
OK, the more I watch this and DTMIS 1 & 2 the more impressed I am with the continuity of the series. These people are nothing if not detail-oriented.
posted by grumpybear69 at 12:33 PM on April 2, 2015
posted by grumpybear69 at 12:33 PM on April 2, 2015
I like that even when the singing puppet is being normal for a kid's show it's still doing things like whacking the other puppets in the face with it's gesticulations.
posted by The Whelk at 12:38 PM on April 2, 2015
posted by The Whelk at 12:38 PM on April 2, 2015
Did anyone catch Blue Guy's dad looking up porn? I saw it on the Wikipedia page but missed it in the video.
posted by ostranenie at 1:19 PM on April 2, 2015
posted by ostranenie at 1:19 PM on April 2, 2015
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posted by grumpybear69 at 9:18 AM on April 1, 2015 [3 favorites]